Technical know-how increasing, quality of photos decreasing!!

I'm working hard at getting a better understanding of exposure and have begun shooting everything I can in Manual mode. Just read Peterson's book, Understanding Exposure and am definitely trying to apply everything I can.

So, my increased understanding of exposure is a good thing. The bad news is that the aesthetic value of my photos is DECREASING! Just went to a festival in Detroit on Saturday and didn't take nearly as many images as I'd thought, perhaps because it was really sunny (and I know that doesn't tend to make for very interesting photos) or perhaps because I was just being too "careful" to look for great shots.

Anyway, I just wonder if I'm trying to over-think things right now and, as a result, the creative element is just getting over-shadowed by the technical side...

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and how you handled it.

Any ideas or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
Greg

Could it be that you're becoming more critical as you appreciate what makes a technically good photo?

Perhaps cut back from straight M mode and do Av mode for a while? Just keep an eye on what your shutter speed is and that'll leave the camera to do a little bit of thinking for you and leave you to concentrate more on what's going on around you... it can be hard to be fast at M mode without a lot of practice.

Jim G wrote in post #3357960
Could it be that you're becoming more critical as you appreciate what makes a technically good photo?

Perhaps cut back from straight M mode and do Av mode for a while? Just keep an eye on what your shutter speed is and that'll leave the camera to do a little bit of thinking for you and leave you to concentrate more on what's going on around you... it can be hard to be fast at M mode without a lot of practice.

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestion. Yep, it could definitely be that I'm being more critical before even putting the camera up to my eye. In the past, I might have snapped off a bunch of pictures even if they weren't particularly interesting.

I think the Av mode suggestion is a good one, as well. I'll try to blend using both modes until I'm feeling "faster" with M photos.

Good stuff!

Greg

I definitely believe that sometimes the more you know, the harder things get. I've definitely been in the same perdicament. I find myself hating my images because I've become my own worst critic.

Mum2J&M wrote in post #3357976
I definitely believe that sometimes the more you know, the harder things get. I've definitely been in the same perdicament. I find myself hating my images because I've become my own worst critic.

That's totally where I'm at right now...I need to bust out of this slump!!

Technical know how increasing,

...your perception of quality changing and becoming more discerning with that knowledge.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #3358128
Technical know how increasing,

...your perception of quality changing and becoming more discerning with that knowledge.

That is why they say 'Ignorance is Bliss'.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #3358128
Technical know how increasing,

...your perception of quality changing and becoming more discerning with that knowledge.

That makes a lot of sense...rather than "technical ability" and "aesthetic quality" being opposed to one another, they're going hand-in-hand in the same direction (positively).

I guess that means I need to start looking harder for more compelling photos to take, eh??

It takes time.

First you learn to understand exposure, DOF, motion blur, composition, etc. etc.
Then you practice, practice, practice applying that knowledge.

It's easy to get preoccupied with technical concerns at the expense of aesthetic qualities. But after awhile, the technical aspects become second nature and you can concentrate on being creative.

But try to avoid the mindset where you decide not to shoot something because the conditions aren't "right". Electrons are cheap. Take pictures. Some you'll like, the others you'll learn from.

Curtis, thanks for the reminder to practice, practice, practice!!

You're concentrating on improving your technical skills and temporarily taking a pass on some others. This sounds like a pretty normal way of acquiring and practicing a new skill. Your eye for the aesthetic has surely not been lost, as you're apparently exercising it as you critique your work. Can you suspend judgement of your composition temporarily while you critique - and admire! - your technical improvements? When you go back to shooting "for real", with a new set of skills to apply, then might be a better time to stand back judge with a broader eye. Or maybe you'll want to take a short break from focusing on technical skills and try to integrate what you've gained so far with your ingrained composition skills, just to remind yourself that you still have 'em, and then go back to focusing on some more of the technical?

GregH,
Well I believe this is a major part of the problem.

GregH wrote in post #3357930
Just went to a festival in Detroit on Saturday and didn't take nearly as many images as I'd thought, perhaps because it was really sunny (and I know that doesn't tend to make for very interesting photos)

I don't agree with this, you as a photographer need to think how to make a photo interesting in that lighting. Not think its not good to take photos in. Otherwise everyone could do it with a P&S with no practice or know how.
Of course most photographers go through there less photo times but can usually be followed by a great or new technique. So go out there and press the shutter button!!!!

Yeah, John, but at least he has the ability to "know" it's tough to take a good pic on a really sunny day. Anyone with a p&s (who isn't interested in photography) might NOT see it as a barrier and their pictures could end up as crap. Sometimes, like I said, the more you know, the harder things become. ;o)

Tough to tell without looking at the photos. Maybe you should post a few.

GregH wrote in post #3357930
I'm working hard at getting a better understanding of exposure and have begun shooting everything I can in Manual mode. Just read Peterson's book, Understanding Exposure and am definitely trying to apply everything I can.

So, my increased understanding of exposure is a good thing. The bad news is that the aesthetic value of my photos is DECREASING! Just went to a festival in Detroit on Saturday and didn't take nearly as many images as I'd thought, perhaps because it was really sunny (and I know that doesn't tend to make for very interesting photos) or perhaps because I was just being too "careful" to look for great shots.

Anyway, I just wonder if I'm trying to over-think things right now and, as a result, the creative element is just getting over-shadowed by the technical side...

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and how you handled it.

Any ideas or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
Greg

Are you like the longtime golfer that finally took some lessons? You're so busy concentrating on getting the moves right that you're not having any fun anymore, and haven't even noticed how beautiful the scenery is?

Once you've become comfortable with the moves (f/stop, shutter speed, ISO, depth of field, rule of thirds, etc, etc) you will gradually start to "see" things again and the creativity will return.

I'm arranging two new pieces on the piano, and I'm concentrating on getting the chord progressions and inversions right, consequently I'm leaving out the musicality. But I know it will come when the technical aspects become automatic.